Casket receiving device



Aug. 12, 1941. o. T. HOVARTER CASKET RECEIVING DEVICE Fild Oct. 7. 1939 INVENT a f Patentecl Aug. 12, 1941 UNITED STATES FATENT OFFICE CASKET RECEIVING DEVICE Otto T. Hovarter, Ashley, Ind. Application October 7, 1939, Serial No. 298,386

3 Claims.

This invention relates to casket receiving apparatus of-the nature used to receive and support a casket over a grave excavation.

One of the prime objects of the invention is to design a casket receiving apparatus having means whereby the casket may be slid over the apparatus from the one end thereof, thereby eliminating the necessity of Walking alongside the excavation and the attendant dangers thereto.

Another object is to design a casket receiving apparatus including light-weight quickly detachable, foldable corner supports which form a sturdy and substantial support for the apparatus and which can be readily collapsed, disassembled, and/or stored.

A further object is to provide a casket receiving apparatus including a quickly removable rockable roller assembly unit and a plurality of quickly removable intermediate roller assemblies or units.

A still further object is to provide a casket receiving and supporting mechanism of simple, practical, and economical construction, which can be readily manufactured and assembled, which is easily mounted on or removable from a supporting apparatus and which can be readily and quickly folded and collapsed so that it is readily transportable from place to place or which can be stored in a limited space.

With the above and other objects in view, the present invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts, hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that changes may be made in the form, size, proportion, and minor details of construction, without departing from the'spirit, or sacrificing any of the advantages-of the invention.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of my casket receiving apparatus showing it assembled and set up for use.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view, the broken lines showing the manner of removing one of the intermediate roller units.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary part sectional View of one. ofthe intermediate roller assembly units, the broken lines illustrating the telescoping action.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing one of the foldable corner supports.

Fig. 5 is a top plan view with the legs omitted, the broken lines illustrating the shifting of one of the ears to permit mounting the frame thereon.

member '3.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of'Fig. 2, the broken lines illustrating the rocking of the roller assembly.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary edge view showing the bifurcated end of the intermediate roller assembly unit.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing in which I have shown one embodiment of my invention, the letter B represents the usual rectangular frame comprising a pair of tubular end members 8 and 9 respectively, including corner castings i6, and'rotary side bars II and I2 serve to connect the end members to form a complete frame.

Suitable lowering mechanism (not shown) is of course provided for lowering the casket into the grave excavation, but this forms no part of the present invention, which is directed to means for receiving and supporting the casket on the frame prior to interment. Each of the corner castings i0 is provided with a flange l3 and a foldable support C is adapted to be secured thereto, said support including a flat top section I4 formed with spaced apart upwardly turned'ears I5 adapted to 'detachably engage the edge of the flange l3 when the support is secured in position.

'Legs" 86 arepivotally secured to the member I4 as showngthe lower ends of said legs being connected by means of foldable brace sections I l pivotally secured together at 8 and to the legs at I9, so that the legs may be folded for transportation and when the device is not in use.

An upwardly projecting stop member 29 is secured 'to or can be formed integral with the member i6 and cooperates with a tiltable roller as- 'at' right anglesto the main body and terminate in saddles 22 which 'aremounted to rock on the Rubber rollers 23 are revolvably mounted on these members 2|, and these rollers are" held in position by means of collars 24 provided With set screws 25 as usual.

The lower ends 26 of the saddle 22 project downwardly 'as shown so that as the assembly is rocked,'as indicated-in broken lines on Fig. 6,

that the'ends 26 of the saddle will engage the "stop I9prov-id'ed on the'support C and limit the swing or rocking movement.

Individual roller assembly units E span the rectangular frame B and engage the tubular rotary members II and I2 in spaced relation, and inasmuch as each assembly unit is identical in construction, I shall describe but one unit only.

Each unit comprises pipe members 2'! and 28 respectively, the outer ends of which are bifurcated as at 29 to slidably and removably engage the tubular side members of the frame, a rubber roller 3%) is revolvably mounted on each of the members 2! and 28 as shown, and is held in position by means of collars 3| as usual. An internally threaded plug 32 is securely mounted in the inner end of the pipe member 21 and a collar 33 is mounted in the inner end of the pipe 28, and is held in position by means of a set screw 34 as usual.

A bolt 35 is slidably mounted in the collar 33 with its threaded end engaging the threaded plug 32 as shown, a coil spring 36 being interposed between the plug 32 and the collar 33, and a tubular sleeve 3'! provides a closure for the spring and the abutting ends of the pipes 21 and 28, said spring being normally compressed and serving to force the ends of the members 21 and 28 from each other and the bifurcated sections 29 into engagement with the tubular side members H and I2 of the frame, but when the unit E is telescoped by forcing the members 21 and 28 toward each other, and as indicated in broken lines in Fig. 3, this spring will be further compressed, so

that one end of the unit will be disengaged from the side rail of the frame and the assembly unit is then readily removable, and as clearly shown in broken lines in Fig. 2 of the drawing.

To facilitate mounting the frame B on the collapsible supports C, I pivot the clip l5a at the point Nib and this is swung to position as shown in broken lines in Fig. 5 of the drawing so that the flange Hi can be placed in position after which the clip is swung back to lock the parts together. When the frame B is mounted in position, the end roller assembly D is placed in position, together with the intermediate units E and the device is then ready for use.

In practice, and when the apparatus is made ready to receive a casket, the end assembly D is tilted downwardly from the frame, this eliminates any possibility of the casket, (not shown) striking the end member of the frame as it is carried forward, and when the head end of the casket engages the rollers 23, it slides slightly upwardly,

engaging the companion rollers on the other arm,

thence sliding over the frame and in turn engaging the intermediate roller units E making it unnecessary for the persons carrying the casket to walk alongside the grave excavation, and the sliding action of the casket on the apparatus is smooth and easy.

When the casket is being placed on this frame, the strap members 38 are loose, having but one or two coils wound on the side members [I and I2, and of course do not engage the casket, but when it is desired to lower the casket, the lowering mechanism, (not shown) is actuated to wind the straps 38 on the side members, thus raising the casket above and clear of the units E, the attendant then grasps one end of the unit E and forces it endwise to compress the spring 36 so that the bifurcated end 29 can be removed and as clearly shown in Fig. 2 of the drawing, the remaining units are removed in a like manner, after which the lowering mechanism is actuated to lower the casket.

After the casket has been lowered, the rockable unit D is lifted clear of the frame, the foldable corner supports C are then removed, and the legs folded inwardly so that the supports form a small compact bundle, and these units then can be readily transported or taken to the next interment.

The units can be easily handled, set up, and removed, they support the casket in a substantial manner, they eliminate the necessity of walking along the edge of the grave excavation while carrying the casket, thus eliminating the disturbing or crushing of flowers and other prepa-v rations around the grave opening.

From the foregoing description, it will be obvious that I have perfected a very simple, practical, and convenient removable apparatus for receiving and supporting a casket on the said frame.

What I claim is:

1. In combination with a casket lowering apparatus having longitudinal elements adapted to extend alongside an open grave, a plurality of transverse supports adapted to rest on said longitudinal elements to support a casket, said transverse supports comprising a pair of telescopic members with a roller assembly revolvably mounted on each member, resilient means normally urging the telescopic members endwise from each other, and bifurcated sections provided on the outer ends of each telescopic member adapted for detachable engagement with said longitudinal elements.

2. In combination with a casket lowering apparatus having a frame including longitudinal elements adapted to extend alongside an open grave, a plurality of transverse supports spanning the grave and adapted to engage said longitudinal elements to support a casket, said transverse supports comprising a pair of tubular members arranged in end to end relation, an adjustable member anchored in one of said tubular members and having rotatable and slidable connection with the opposite member, resilient means interposed between said members and normally urging them from each other, a sleeve forming a closure for the resilient means and the inner ends of the tubular members, a roller revolvably mounted on each tubular member, and bifurcated end sections provided on the outer end of each tubular member and adapted for detachable engagement with the longitudinal frame elements.

3. In combination with a casket lowering apparatus having a frame including longitudinal bars adapted to extend alongside an open grave, a plurality of transverse supports adapted to detachably engage said longitudinal bars to support a casket, said transverse supports comprising a pair of tubular members arranged in end to end relation, a roller revolvably mounted on each of said members, a threaded section in the inner end of one of said members, a threaded bolt revolvably and slidably mounted in the opposite section, for adjusting the members with relation to each other, resilient means interposed between the inner ends of said members and normally urging said members endwise from each other, and bifurcated sections on the outer end of each tubular member adapted for detachable engagement with the longitudinal bars of the frame.

OTTO T. HOVARTER. 

